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Monthly Archives: August 2017

This is my final blog posting as President and Vice-Chancellor, and my last day in the President’s Office.

Since the announcement in April of my appointment as Chief Executive Officer of Health Sciences North and of the Health Sciences North Research Institute effective October 2nd, it has been an intense sprint to complete as many files as possible.

We finalized a balanced budget for 2017-2018. Convocation season was as wonderful and hectic as ever. We completed consultations for the 2018-2023 Strategic Plan and Draft #1 has been submitted this week by Dr. Linda Ambrose to the 2018-2023 Strategic Plan Steering Committee. The incoming Interim President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Pierre Zundel, and I have taken part in over a dozen meetings with decision-makers at Queen’s Park, major donors and local college presidents. The process to recruit the next Vice-President, Administration is entering in the selection phase following a national search. The Indigenous Sharing and Learning Centre officially opened, and the stunning front door was completed. The federal Minister of Science, the Hon. Kirsty Duncan, made a national funding announcement on campus and toured the construction site for the Cliff Fielding Research, Innovation and Engineering Building. The negotiation of the 2017-2020 Strategic Mandate Agreement is nearly done.

During recent media interviews I have had the opportunity to reflect on what we have accomplished together since 2009. This May story of the Sudbury Star captures very well our trajectory. There will also be a Q&A in the September edition of LAMBDA.

There are great things ahead at Laurentian, including the completion in 2018 of the new Cliff Fielding Building, a new SGA Student Centre by 2019, the hiring of new faculty and transfer of exceptional colleagues from Barrie, the validation and launch of the 2018-2023 Strategic Plan and great news ahead for graduate expansion, health learners and staff.

I want to thank all colleagues, students, alumni and friends of the University who came to my farewell BBQ at the end of June.

There are many, many people that I would have liked to thank in person before I leave the presidency today. Unfortunately, it’s physically impossible. It has been a privilege to serve you. Thank you for your energy and inspiration. I look forward to witnessing and contributing to the University’s future successes from the standpoint of 41 Ramsey Lake Road instead of 935 Ramsey Lake Road.

It has been a pleasure and an honour to serve as your president and to work side by side with each and every one of you.